1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for producing compost tea and more particularly to an improved apparatus for producing compost tea so that the tea may be sprayed upon the ground to enhance the treatment of the soil.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compost tea describes many different preparations made using compost as a starting material and producing a liquid extract or, in some cases, a xe2x80x9cliquid versionxe2x80x9d of the original compost. Compost tea is a readily available form of compost that will impact plants more quickly than compost mixed into the soil. Compost teas are applied either to the soil or to the plant foliage. Those applied to the soil will move into the root zone and affect the rhizosphere of the plant. Nutrients carried in the tea will be used by the plant as well as adding microorganisms in the soil. The microbes in the compost tea may have a lot of competition with other soil microorganisms, but have the opportunity to become a part of the soil and rhizosphere microbial ecology. Compost teas applied to the plant foliage will immediately impact the plant. Compost tea, like compost itself, has the potential to be a powerful tool for agriculture. Compost tea extracts nutrients and microorganisms from the compost and allows a person to apply these beneficial components to plants. Compost tea acts as a weak liquid fertilizer, low in nitrogen but high in microbes. There are many home-designed pieces of equipment and some commercially available equipment made to produce compost tea. It is believed that the apparatus described herein represents a distinct improvement over the prior art equipment for producing compost tea in that the instant apparatus washes nutrients and microorganisms from the compost being passed therethrough and recirculates the wash water until the desired concentration is achieved.
An apparatus for producing compost tea is described which includes a hopper into which the compost material is placed. The bottom of the hopper is inclined and has a first screw conveyor mounted therein which conveys the compost material towards the lower end thereof. Preferably, a anti-bridging screw conveyor is positioned in the compost hopper above the first conveyor for preventing bridging of the compost material in the hopper. The compost material is discharged from the lower end of the hopper downwardly through a tube into the lower end of an upwardly inclined separator housing which has a screw conveyor rotatably mounted therein for conveying the compost material from the lower end of the separator housing to the upper end of the separator housing. The screw conveyor in the separator housing includes a hollow auger shaft having a plurality of water discharge spray nozzles mounted thereon. A cylindrical screen surrounds a portion of the screw conveyor in the separator housing. A separator tank is positioned below the separator housing and is in fluid communication therewith for receiving the microorganism-laden wash water therein.
The apparatus also includes a water tank having a first water conduit extending from the discharge port thereof to the inlet side of a motor-driven pump. A second water conduit extends from the discharge side of the pump to the inlet side of an inline filter. The interior of the inline filter has a cylindrical screen which is spaced inwardly from the exterior wall of the filter. A third water conduit extends from the side of the filter to the auger shaft for supplying water to the discharge nozzles. A fourth water conduit extends from the second water conduit to a receptacle for containing the finished compost tea. A control valve is imposed in the fourth water conduit. A fifth water conduit extends from the lower end of the separator tank to the first water conduit. A sixth water conduit extends from the discharge side of the filter to the inlet side of the water tank.
Water is supplied to the auger shaft in the separator housing by means of the third water conduit so that water is sprayed from the discharge nozzles on the auger shaft onto the compost material being moved upwardly through the separator housing so that microorganisms on the compost material are washed therefrom with the wash water being collected in the separator tank and being recirculated to the first water conduit. The spent compost material discharged from the separator housing is conveyed or otherwise delivered to a spent compost material pile. The compost tea is recirculated through the apparatus until the compost tea has the desired concentration of microorganisms. When the predetermined level has been achieved, the compost tea is delivered to a receptacle or the like by means of the fourth water conduit.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for producing compost tea.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for producing compost tea wherein microorganisms on the compost material are washed therefrom with the compost tea being recirculated through the apparatus until the proper concentration of microorganisms in the compost tea has been achieved.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved filter for use in an apparatus for producing compost tea.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.